Folding crate



M. F. BENCH.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILEQ MAY 1, 1919- I 1,338,608; Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS SHEET 1. a 4 \9 BEL 7 amewboz W Zena W 0 mm Patented Apr. 27,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 5140a to; 002/,

'crate is folded.

"oivrrnn sa n res PATENT enrich.

MARION FRANKLIN BENCH, (I? CHILLICOTHE, MISSOURI.

FOLDING CRATE.

i ,sssasos.

Application filed May 1, 1919.

l b all whom it may rum-c1):

Ile it known that I, MARION F. BENCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chillicothe, in the county of Livingston and State oflliissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingCrates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates more particularly to folding crates intendedprimarily for use by bakers in shipping bread and the like. The cratescommonly used for this purpose occupy a great deal of space for returnshipment and when the crates are empty, the rough handling to which theyare subjected, is very injurious, with the result that the crates areshort lived.

The principal object of my invention is to overcome the difficultiesabove pointed out by the provision of a simple and inexpensive, yet anefficient and reliable crate constructed in a novel manner for foldingcompactly when not in use, thereby occupying little space during returnshipment, and minimizing the danger of breakage.

A further object is to provide a folding crate embodying an angle ironframe structure to carry sides, top and bottom, of fiber board,cardboard, or the like, for renewal from time to time, to maintain thecrate in a clean and sanitary condition.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novelconstruction and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed,reference being made to the accompanying drawings which form a part ofthis application.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate constructed in accordance withmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the frame structure.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the crate folded.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the lugs and flanges to preventinward and outward swinging of the sides of the crate.

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail illustrating the location of theaforesaid lugs when the Specification of Letters Patent.

- bottom and top of the crate.

Patented Apr. 757, 1920.

Serial No. 294,620.

In the drawings above briefly described, a rectangular front frame 1 anda similar back frame 2 are shown, both formed of angle iron of anyrequired proportions. A

rectangular bottom frame 3 is hinged at :i'.

to the bottom bar of the back frame 2 and is normally folded downwardlyupon the horizontal flange of the bar 5 at the lower end of frame 1,said frame 3 being also of angle iron construction. The top bar of frame2 is provided with a forwardly projecting horizontal flange 6 and a topframe 7 is hinged thereto at 8. The frame 7 is formed of angle iron,like the other frames, this construction being used throughout in orderthat sheets of fiber board, cardboard or the like 9, may be carried bysaid frames to form therewith the front, back, sides,

In all instances, the fiber board or the like 9 need not be secured inplace, but in most cases it will be attached to the side bars of theseveral frames by split rivets or other fasteners 10.

Two sheets 9 are required for each side of the crate and the ends ofsaid sheets are secured to upper and lower bars 11 and 12 respectively,both upper and lower bars being hinged to each other at 13 and hinged at14 to the vertical edges of the frames 1 and 2. By this construction,the sides of the crate may fold inwardly as seen in Figs. 4: and 5, whenthe entire crate is folded. Normally, however, the depending flanges 15of the top frame 7, and lugs 16 which depend from the inner edge of saidframe, straddle the upper bars 11 and thus prevent swinging of the sideseither inwardly or outwardly. (See Fig. 6.) The lugs 16 are receivablein slots 17 in the side bars of frame 1, when the crate is folded. (Seemore particularly Figs. 5 and 6.)

Fig. 1 discloses the crate set up in condition for use, with its topheld in closed pos tion by a suitable seal 18 passing through openings19 in the top bar of frame 1 and the front bar of frame 7. In thiscondition, the filled crate is shipped and when emptied, said crate isfolded for return shipment. The bottom frame 3 folds upwardly againstthe back frame 2 as seen in Figs. 2 and i. The two-section sides of thecrate then swing inwardly, allowing the front frame 1 to move bodilytoward the rear frame 2; and said front frame, together with the bottomframe and the sides of the crate, are then all located below the flange(3. The top frame 7 is now swung downwardly as illustrated in Fig. 4-and a wire or seal 20 may be passed through its opening 19 and throughanother opening 21 which is formed in the bottom bar of the back frame2. The entire crate is thus held compactly fold d for return shipment,will occupy little space during such shipment and will not be injured byrough handling. l Vhenever desirable, the old sheets 9 may he removedand new ones substituted, so that the crate may at all times be kept ina neat and sanitary condition.

.li'rom the foregoing, taken in ca aection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be seen that although my invention of or;- tremelysimple and inexpensive nature, it will he highly el'licient and in everyway desirable, and since good results may be ob tained from the detailsdisclosed, they may well be followed. 1 wish it understood, however,that within the scope of the invention as claimed, the numerous detailsmay be varied as occasion may dictate, and tile crate may be made in anyrequired size.

1 claim:

1. A folding crate comprising a front and.

a back movable bodily toward each other, a bottom hinged to said backfor upward folding against the same, a forwardly extending flange on theupper end of said back, a pair of sides hinged to the edges of saidfront and back, each of said sides being formed of two sections hingedtogether on a vertical line for inward foldii'ig, and a top hinged tosaid flange, said sides, front and bottom being receivable under saidflange when folded; said top being then foldable downwardly said front.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said top having dependingflanges preventing outward swinging of said sides, and having dependinglugs preventing inward swinging of said sides, said front havingopenings to receive said lugs when said top is downwardly folded.

3. A folding crate frame comprising recangular front and back frames ofangle on movable bodily toward each other, upper and lower pairs ofhingedly connected bars hinged to the vertical sides of said front andback frame for inward folding, a rectangular bottom frame of angle ironhinged to the bottom bar of said back frame r upward folding against thelatter, a ige extending forwardly from the top bar of said back frameand adapted to receive thereunder the front and bottom frames and saidpairs of bars when the crate is folded, and an angle iron top framehinged to said flange and adapted to fold downwardly against the outerside of said front frame when the crate is folded.

4:. A. structure as specified in claim 3, the side flanges of said topframe normally engaging the upper pairs of bars to prevent outwardswinging thereof, and lugs depending from the other flanges of said topframe to prevent inward folding of said bars, the vertical side bars ofsaid front frame having openings to receive said lugs when said topframe is downwardly folded.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MARION FRANKLIN BENCH.

at the outer side of

